What Could Have Been
by Taylor Redmond
Summary: What could have happened to Arwen if Uther had not discovered them? Arthur and Gwen attempt to develop their romance while keeping it hidden from Uther. Alternate plot to Queen of Hearts. *warning* Contains a lot of gushy Arwen romance!
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to write this to cheer myself up after the tragedy known as Lancelot du Lac. So here's what could have happened had Arthur and Gwen not been discovered. This is my first fanfic, so sorry if it sucks.**

**Thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate all your input!  
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"We should be heading back to Camelot soon," said Gwen. She and Arthur were resting on a blanket in a clearing outside the castle. Guinevere had on a beautiful light pink dress, and matching flowers adorned her thick, curly black hair. Prince Arthur gazed at her lovingly.

"We can stay a while longer," he replied, wishing that the moment could last forever. "I don't know when we'll have the chance to do this again."

"Perhaps when you become a farmer," Gwen laughed, "we'll be together more often."

"It's just a dream," Arthur said. "I fear I will never leave Camelot. Stay still," he added gravely. Gwen tensed immediately.

"Is it bandits?" she whispered. Arthur peered over her shoulder and reached for his sword. He suddenly reached out, and Gwen gasped with surprise.

"A wasp," Arthur answered. Gwen's face morphed into a smile as she let out a laugh. She looked at Arthur and was overcome with desire for him. She stared into his eyes as their lips met. Gwen rested her hand on Arthur's chest, never wanting the kiss to end.

Uther and Morgana rode on, dangerously close to where Gwen and Arthur were laying. Finally they found the creek where Morgana knew the two were hiding. She smiled with triumph as she and Uther stumbled upon... nothing. Gwen and Arthur were not there. But how could that be? Morgana was sure of what she had seen an hour before. She knew she had led Uther to the same spot. So why was there nothing to see besides water and rocks?

"I see we have reached the end of our journey," said Uther. "It is getting dark, and I'm afraid the council matters can wait no longer. We must return to Camelot," he told Morgana.

"No, please," Morgana resisted. "We've barely spent any time together. I wish we could continue our ride."

"So do I, Morgana. But we must return," Uther repeated. "I have enjoyed this time. We must do this again soon."

"Yes," Morgana said, her lips formed in a scowl. "Very soon." As if she wanted to spend any more time with Uther than was completely necessary. She reluctantly turned her horse around, and they rode back to Camelot together.

Arthur and Gwen began breathing normally again. They were both crouched behind a large rock near the creek. Arthur had heard the sound of horses and told Gwen to hide. He soon followed when he discovered who was coming. They had overheard the entire conversation between Morgana and Uther.

The pair looked at each other and exchanged a nervous smile; they had not been discovered. Not yet, anyway. Arthur knew that they would have to be much more careful in the future if he wanted to continue his secret romance with Guinevere. Nevertheless, he sighed with relief.

Arthur stood up cautiously and crept out of his hiding spot. He made sure his father and Morgana were out of sight before going back to get Gwen. They knew they couldn't go back to Camelot yet, while Uther was on the same path back. They decided to make the most of what little time they had left together. Arthur grabbed the blanket that they had hidden behind a bush and spread it back out. He gestured for Gwen to sit, and he followed.

"Where were we?" Arthur asked. And they kissed once more. A huge well of emotion rose in Arthur's chest as his lips felt Gwen's. Love, and longing, but also lust. He wanted Gwen more in that moment than ever before. Perhaps it was the intensity of their situation, or perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but he knew one thing for certain: he needed Guinevere, her touch, her love. He loved her more than anything, and he needed to know she felt the same way.

Arthur and Gwen fell into a laying position, never breaking the kiss. Arthur repositioned his body over Guinevere's thin frame, staring into her eyes. Gwen's wide eyes spoke their agreement. Arthur's heart leapt.

"I love you," he whispered into Guinevere's ear.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur and Gwen woke up the next morning, still outside on the blanket. Smiles played on both of their faces. Arthur couldn't remember a time when he had ever felt happier. The love of his life, laying next to him. Gwen felt the same way. Arthur kissed her again, wishing that he could stay with Gwen every day for the rest of his life.

"I love being here," he told Gwen quietly.

"I do too," she said, placing a hand on Arthur's cheek. "But we must leave. We've been out all night, surely Uther-" She was cut off when Arthur's finger touched her lips.

"Who cares about Uther? I love you, and that's all that matters. If we want to be together, we can be together."

"But I will be banished from the kingdom, and we will never see each other again," Gwen said, tears forming in her eyes at the very thought.

"Not if we leave together," Arthur replied. Gwen shook her head sadly.

"No, Arthur, you belong in Camelot. Your people need you," she said.

"But _I_ need _you_, Guinevere. Without you, I don't feel complete. But when I'm here with you... I just don't want us to ever be apart."

"So what are you proposing, that we run away together? Listen to yourself, Arthur. How could that ever work?"

"Merlin can tell my father," said Arthur, thinking furiously. "He can tell my father that I was on a hunting trip, and there was a beast that was too much for me to handle."

"You want Merlin to tell Uther you're dead?" Gwen asked, raising her eyebrows. "It'll destroy him, Arthur, you know that. You're the only person Uther truly cares about. He'll be devastated if he hears of your death. Who knows, he might even become angry. I don't think Merlin should have to give Uther that news. I want to be with you as much as you want to be with me," she said. "But you have to consider Camelot first." Arthur got up and started pacing as Guinevere watched him from the ground.

"Okay, so maybe Merlin won't tell my father that I died. Perhaps I was kidnapped. Yes, that's it! Merlin can tell Uther that a powerful sorcerer kidnapped me, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. But he'll send out a search party, of course. We'll have to be very careful about where we go. My father searched for Morgana for a year, he will look for me the same, if not more. I'm his son, his heir, he will never stop seeking me out." Arthur looked at Gwen. "So we must return to Camelot sometime."

"When will we return?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know," said Arthur, his hands covering his face. "I suppose Merlin can keep us informed of what's going on in Camelot. We can decide when the time is right to go back."

"Arthur, don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself?" Gwen asked. "Are you sure you really want to do this? After all, you're the Prince of Camelot, and I'm only a servant girl."

"Don't say that, Guinevere. You're much more than a servant girl to me, and you know it. Don't bother trying to persuade me to not do this, because you can't. I love you more than anything in the world. There is only one thing that is certain to me, and that is that I cannot live without you."

Gwen nodded as Arthur sat back down on the blanket next to her. He cupped his hand under her chin and gently moved it up. Arthur marveled at the sight of her eyes. They were dark, but they were so bright. Arthur saw his own love reflected in her eyes. He dipped his head down and kissed Gwen again. This kiss was different. There was no urgency, no tension, just pure passion. The kiss ended, much to Gwen's dismay, and Arthur said, "In about an hour's time, I will go back to Camelot and find Merlin. I will tell him of my plan, and once I return here, we will set off immediately." Gwen nodded again, not speaking. Arthur got up and started in the direction of Camelot.

"Arthur," Gwen called. He turned around. "I love you," her heart longed to say. But her mouth betrayed her. "Be careful."

Arthur nodded once and continued on his journey.


	3. Chapter 3

Morgana was in Arthur's chambers, poultice in hand. Just because the first part of her plan had been unsuccessful didn't mean that she had to abandon it completely. She could still stop Arthur and Gwen's love, if she played her part correctly.

Suddenly, she heard a noise from the hallway. Morgana quickly shoved the poultice under Arthur's pillow and hid herself under his bed. It was Merlin! What was he doing in Arthur's room? The stupid servant always got himself into situations he didn't belong in.

Merlin walked over to the bed, and Morgana considered using magic to knock him out and escape. She decided against it, though. It would be safer to wait it out.

She gasped as a noise came from the window. She wished with all her might that Merlin hadn't heard her. Her wish came true; Merlin was as surprised as she was. They were both looking at the window when Arthur's blonde hair came into view. Arthur then proceeded to climb through the window and fall onto the floor. Morgana squeezed herself into as little space as possible so that Arthur couldn't see her as he got up. Again, her wish came true as Merlin hurried over to help Arthur up.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked Arthur.

"Listen, Merlin," Arthur said as he straightened his tunic. "I've got no time to spare." Arthur quickly checked over Merlin's shoulder to make sure no one was listening. Morgana smirked from under the bed. "You know how I feel about Guinevere," Arthur started. Merlin smiled and nodded.

"I know very well, Arthur," Merlin said teasingly.

"It's not funny. This is no joke." Merlin's smile instantly faded. "Guinevere and I both know that my father would never approve of us being together. So we're going to run away." Morgana's lips parted in an O. "I know what you're thinking," Arthur continued. "Camelot should come first, Gwen is just a servant, I know."

"Arthur, that's not what I was thinking at all," said Merlin. "I know how you feel. I know how she feels. I was thinking, 'Where are you going and when?'"

"You know, Merlin. You might not be the worst servant in the Five Kingdoms. Perhaps just the worst in Camelot." Merlin smiled with pride. "Anyway," Arthur continued, "I need you to explain to my father why I am not in Camelot. I want you to tell him that we were on a hunting trip, and I was kidnapped by a powerful sorcerer. There was nothing you could do to stop him, and you have no idea where I might be."

"Okay," Merlin agreed. "If you let me come with you."

"No, Merlin, you cannot come with us. The whole point is for me and Gwen to be alone," Arthur said, exasperated.

"But I know where you can stay safe."

"And that is...?"

"I don't want to tell you now," Merlin said as his eyes flicked down near Morgana's hiding place. Morgana felt her breath leave her. Did the servant know she was down there? How did he find out? Merlin continued talking. "How about this: I'll ride down to meet Gwen with you and walk back. That way, you both can have horses to travel with. Before you leave, I'll tell you where to go and give you a note for once you get there. I can promise you will be safe there." Arthur thought it over for a second.

"Okay. You must tell my father the story, and make it believable. You know where to find me and Gwen. I expect you to be there in an hour. If not, Gwen and I will leave without you." Merlin agreed, and Arthur began climbing back out the window.

Merlin headed back to the door to Arthur's chambers. As he left, Morgana couldn't tear her eyes off the thing he was holding in his hand. Her poultice. Merlin had seen it, and he knew of its powers. That confirmed Morgana's suspicions-Merlin had magic, too.


	4. Chapter 4

"Merlin!" Arthur called as his servant appeared on horseback. "We were about to leave!"

"I'm sorry, sire," Merlin apologized, dismounting the horse. "Uther... Uther didn't take well to the news."

"When is he sending out the search party?" Arthur asked urgently.

"As soon as it's put together," Merlin said.

"We best be leaving soon," Arthur told Guinevere. She immediately climbed onto the horse Merlin had brought. "What were you wanting to give me?" Arthur asked, turning back to Merlin.

Merlin reached into his pocket, pulled out a note, and gave it to Arthur. "You remember my village," he said to Arthur, reminding him of the time he and Merlin had fought side by side. Arthur nodded, and Merlin continued. "You should go there. Once you make it, give this note to my mother. She will help you, I'm sure of it. The whole village will."

"Thank you, Merlin," said Arthur, patting him on the shoulder. "You have proven yourself many times to be a true friend." Merlin grinned as Arthur and Gwen steered their horses in the direction of his old home, and Merlin began his walk back to Camelot.

Arthur and Gwen were little more than halfway to Merlin's village. A part of Gwen was grateful that Merlin had taken the risk to get her a horse and help her and Arthur. The other part of her secretly wished that Merlin hadn't brought another horse. Gwen would have been perfectly happy sitting behind Arthur with her arms around him for the whole journey.

As it was, she rode a short distance away from Arthur. Every so often, the two would look at each other and smile, as if to say, "I can't believe this is actually working."

They arrived soon enough, to the surprise of the villagers. Arthur asked to see Hunith, and he gave her the note Merlin had left him. As Hunith read, she nodded. When she was done, she tucked it away and led Arthur and Gwen to an old abandoned house. It was separated from the majority of the other homes.

"I'm sorry it isn't much, my lord," she apologized. "But I know that whoever comes to search for you will not think to look in here."

"Never mind the quality. I am very thankful for your kindness and understanding. Guinevere and I are in love," he said simply, gesturing at Gwen. "But my father would not approve of this love. I only wish to stay here long enough to where I know I can return to Camelot and be forgiven by my father."

"It is no inconvenience," Hunith said. "I myself know of love, and I am happy to help."

Arthur and Gwen thanked Hunith once more as she left the little house. They prepared for sleep. A shirtless Arthur took Guinevere's hand and motioned for her to lay in the only bed.

"But where will you sleep?" she asked, walking behind the bed.

"Here," Arthur answered as he settled on the bare ground.

"Arthur, you are the prince of Camelot," Gwen said. "Sleep on the bed."

"But you are the lady here."

"That doesn't matter. I'm used to worse sleeping conditions," Gwen countered.

Arthur sighed. "Fine, I'll sleep on the bed," he said, a smile on his face. He grabbed Gwen's hand as she tried to walk past him. "But only if you do, too."

Gwen blushed bright red at Arthur's slightly teasing tone. She sat down on the corner of the bed. Arthur's hand left hers and he gently touched her cheek instead, guiding Gwen's face to his own. Their lips met for a moment, then Gwen rearranged herself so that she was laying on her side, facing Arthur. His arms snuck around her waist, meeting behind her back. He pulled her closer and kissed her again.*

"Arthur," Gwen whispered.

"Hmmm?" Arthur mumbled while kissing her.

"Don't. Not now." Arthur froze instantly. "I can't think right now," said Gwen. "Do you realize what will happen if we get caught?" Tears began to fill Gwen's eyes.

"Guinevere. We won't get caught," Arthur promised. "This is Merlin's village. His friends and family. I trust Merlin. We're safe here."

Gwen nodded, but she couldn't help the flow of tears that came out anyway. She flipped around so that she was facing the same direction as Arthur. She didn't want him to see her like that. She felt something touch her hair - Arthur's lips. In that moment, she completely believed Arthur. His arms surrounding her, protecting her, made her feel safer than ever before in her entire life.

***Okay I realize Arthur isn't quite being Arthur right here. But I liked the scene in my head. So deal with it.**


	5. Chapter 5

Gwen woke up before Arthur. They were both still on their sides, facing the same direction. Arthur was pressed up close to Guinevere's back, his body mimicking every angle in hers. His face was tangled in her hair, his arms wrapped protectively over her.

Gwen thought about what had happened the night before. She had panicked; Arthur had stopped and comforted her. She knew for certain now that she could completely trust Arthur. Not that she hadn't trusted him before. It just strengthened her view of him.

Gwen carefully turned over her shoulder and woke Arthur with a small kiss. His eyelids fluttered, along with Gwen's heart. His eyes opened, and his face grew into a huge smile.

"I can't tell you," Arthur began to say, "how much I've enjoyed running away with you."

"It's only been two days since we were in Camelot!" Gwen said with a laugh.

"And I've loved every second of it," Arthur replied, gently kissing her neck.

"Then that makes two of us," Gwen said happily. She reached for Arthur's hand and he gladly offered it to her.

"I love being away from Camelot," Arthur said. "More than I should. Here, we're just two people in love. I don't feel like the Prince, and I hope you don't feel like a servant."

"Not at all," Gwen laughed. "Would a normal servant be able to do this?" she asked as she placed a gentle hand on Arthur's bare chest. "Or this?" She ran her other hand down his muscular arm. "Or this?" she whispered, tilting her head up and stealing a long kiss.

"I could have you thrown in the dungeons for that," Arthur said jokingly once the kiss ended. Gwen laughed and faked fright. "It just all seems so natural with you," he said, serious this time. "Like I don't have to be anything I'm not." Gwen smiled.

"I feel the same way," she said. There was a long moment where neither of them spoke. Gwen's heart throbbed with love for Arthur. She had never felt that way before, not with Lancelot, not with anyone. It was true that she had loved Lancelot before Arthur, but she couldn't even imagine seeing his face instead of Arthur's when she looked up.

Gwen looked into Arthur's adoring eyes and realized that somehow, he felt just as she did. Arthur could have taken his pick of any of the girls in the kingdom, yet he had miraculously chosen her. It was strange and comforting at the same time.

"I love you, Arthur," she said after a while. "I love you more than anything in the world."

Arthur smiled. "And I, you," he said, leaning down to kiss her again. Arthur rolled onto his back and Gwen stayed attached to him, ending up on top of his body. They remained locked together by the mouth, Arthur's hands resting on the small of Gwen's back.

Suddenly, Hunith appeared in the room, torch in hand. Gwen broke the kiss and blushed intensely, rolling off Arthur and ending up on her back. Arthur sat up, both interested and annoyed at the interruption. Hunith spoke, seemingly unaffected by what she had walked in on.

"A search party is near here." Arthur jumped out of bed and threw on a shirt. "I promised you would be safe, now I'll show you how I know that." Arthur and Gwen followed her to the other side of the little house, where Hunith bent down and brushed dirt off a little patch of ground. Arthur could make out a handle. Hunith grabbed the handle and pulled, revealing a small hole in the ground. There was a ladder inside that descended into the darkness.

"There is a little cave at the bottom of the ladder. Go down. No one knows about it, not even the others in this village. You will not be found." Arthur nodded, thanked Hunith, and helped Gwen down. Once he had lowered himself into the hole, Hunith gave him the torch she was holding. He mumbled his thanks and put the torch in between his teeth.

"Be careful," she said. Arthur nodded and continued climbing down.


	6. Chapter 6

Arthur got to the bottom of the ladder and looked around the cave. What he saw didn't make him happy at all - Gwen was sitting on the floor, leaning against the cave wall with her legs tucked to the side. Arthur slowly walked over to her and took a seat beside her.

"What's wrong, Guinevere?" he asked after a moment. She shook her head.

"It's nothing. I just... I don't understand. You wanted to run away. But you know we'll have to return soon. Why would you want to go through all the trouble of lying to your father, hiding away, doing all that we're doing if you know that once we get back to Camelot, we'll have to start pretending again?"

"Every second with you is worth the trouble. My father doesn't know how I feel about you, and maybe he never will. But I wanted to make sure you do know." Arthur put his arm around Gwen. She turned her head to look at him. Every cell of hers screamed for him to kiss her. Her heart seemed to lunge right out of her chest.

Arthur leaned down and kissed her quickly, then, realizing that she wanted it too, their second kiss lasted longer. Gwen's hands found their way to Arthur's hair, pushing his face closer to hers. She was overwhelmed with desire for the man in front of her. And he seemed willing to help with that desire.

Arthur listened. Above him, the sounds of the search had ended, but that didn't mean he and Gwen had to go back up quite yet. They could stay down in the cave for all eternity and only Hunith would ever know where they were. Arthur's romantic part loved that idea, but his logical part knew they would have to go back up soon. But Arthur shoved down his logical mind and focused on enjoying the moment. Gwen was his.

An hour later, Gwen decided to take a nap. With her head rested in Arthur's lap, she looked beautiful and peaceful as ever. Then a thought struck Arthur. While Gwen was still asleep, he quietly climbed up the ladder and back into the normal world. He showed up at Hunith's door five minutes later.

"Hunith, I was wondering if you could help with some...personal matters," he said. "And I'm going to need quite a few candles."

Gwen awoke, confused. She called out Arthur's name, but he obviously wasn't in the little cave. Where was he? What had happened? She didn't know what to think of his disappearance.

Suddenly, she felt something around her waist. She gasped, but then she recognized Arthur's gentle touch and relaxed in his arms.

"Where were-" Gwen began, but she was cut off by Arthur.

"Close your eyes," he said quietly in her ear. Gwen did as she was told, unsure of what to expect. She had no idea what Arthur was trying to do.

He led her to the ladder and told her to reach her arms out so she could begin climbing. Arthur stayed with her the whole time, helping her scale the ladder safely. He told her when they were at the top, and then he turned her to face one of the walls of the room.

"Turn around," he said a couple seconds later. "Open your eyes."

Guinevere was met with one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. The entire house was decorated with a hundred candles, every shade from white to deep red. But the candles were nothing compared to what was kneeling in front of her and holding her hand.

"Arthur," Gwen whispered in disbelief as she clasped her free hand over her mouth. He was down on one knee, looking as handsome as every knight put together.

"Guinevere," he said, his voice calm and steady, "will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"


	7. Chapter 7

The answer was obvious, yet Gwen couldn't get her mouth to form the words. Her mind was working on overload, unable to comprehend anything that was going on. She could one day rule over Camelot with Arthur. They could sit together on the throne until the end of time. The joy that thought brought her was almost inconceivable. All her thoughts of the present and future changed to show only the beautiful face of Arthur Pendragon. He meant everything to her, and now they could be everything for each other.

"Yes," Gwen said breathlessly. "Yes, of course I will."

Arthur stood up, his face lighting up with happiness. He touched Gwen's face, wiping away the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. They stared at each other lovingly for few moments. Then Arthur leaned down, and Gwen closed her eyes in expectancy. She felt Arthur's lips touch her own, and Gwen wished that she had to power to freeze time it that moment so that she would never have to stop kissing her love.

Gwen furrowed her fingers in Arthur's blonde hair. Arthur's arms were wrapped fiercely around Gwen, as if he never wanted to let her go. Their bodies were pressed tightly against one another, not letting even one little pocket of air come between them. Their blue and brown eyes never left each other, filled with love and hope. They stayed locked together for a long time, oblivious to the world around them.

Gwen finally broke the kiss, and she and Arthur started breathing heavily. Gwen contentedly buried her face in Arthur's chest, and Arthur lovingly stroked her hair.

Outside the house, Hunith stood, watching Arthur and Gwen through the window. She smiled widely and hurried away.

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><p>"How will we tell Uther?" Gwen asked Arthur before they went to bed.<p>

"We will tell him the truth," Arthur answered simply. "There is nothing he can do at this point. I have made my decision and I will stand by it no matter what."

"He will not like what he hears," Gwen said.

"I don't expect him to like it. I don't expect him to understand it. All I can do is hope that he doesn't try to stop it." Gwen half-smiled as she lay down on the bed. Arthur took his spot beside her, just as she would someday take her spot beside him on the throne. Gwen could already see it: she would make her way down the hallway and kneel before Arthur. He would pronounce her Queen and place her crown on her head. And she would sit in the throne of the Queen from that day forward.

"I know what you're thinking," Arthur said softly. "Because I'm thinking it too." Arthur had been considering his proposal since they had run away. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that he had made the right choice. Once he became King, he would need a Queen who would actually serve a purpose, actually help him with his responsibilities. Gwen had proven to him time and time again that she was fully capable of this. She had a good heart and a good mind, and she was willing to share her ideas. That was the kind of support Arthur would need if he wanted to make Camelot the best it could be. "You will make a great Queen, Guinevere," Arthur said. "The best." Gwen smiled and kissed Arthur as a thank-you.

"Queen Guinevere Pendragon," Gwen said, smiling.

"It sounds right, doesn't it?" Arthur said. "Like it was meant to be."

"You know, Arthur," Gwen said with a lighter tone of voice. "I fell asleep in the cave today. I honestly don't think I need that much sleep tonight."

"Oh, really?" Arthur asked. "And what were you planning on doing instead of sleeping?" he asked playfully.

Gwen kissed him in response. "I think you know the answer to that question."

Arthur kissed her back. "I think I do, too."


	8. Chapter 8

"Again, thank you for your kindness," Arthur said to Hunith one last time. "I can't tell you how much Guinevere and I appreciate all you have done for us."

"It was my pleasure," Hunith answered politely. Arthur and Gwen were about to head back to Camelot. "I wish you well on your journey back. And Arthur," she added. "Good luck with Uther." Arthur nodded solemnly and started towards his city.

Gwen's wish had finally come true - she and Arthur were riding on the same horse. The horse Gwen had ridden to Merlin's village was tied to Arthur's. "To make a statement to my father as we arrive," Arthur had said. But Gwen suspected that his motives were more like her own, to be closer together. She sat behind Arthur with her arms wrapped around his waist. He held her hands in one of his own. He rode slowly, enjoying the closeness.

A few minutes into the trip, the two started talking.

"So how do you imagine Uther responding to this?" Gwen asked.

"...Not well," Arthur admitted after a moment. "After all, I'm a prince and you're just a servant," he said sarcastically. He turned halfway around, enough to look at Gwen and make sure she knew he was kidding. "But he won't think of doing anything about it. Not while you're my intended wife." He and Gwen both smiled at the word "wife".

A thought suddenly struck Gwen. "Was this your plan all along? To run away, then come back as soon as you've proposed?"

"Perhaps."

"What if I had said no?"

"We both know that wouldn't have ever happened." As Arthur said it, Gwen knew it was true. She loved Arthur too much.

They sat for a while longer before Gwen broke the silence again.

"Did Merlin know of your plan?"

"What? No. Why would I tell _Merlin_?" Arthur asked as if it was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard.

"I don't know," Gwen said. "I thought you two were becoming friends."

"No," he said quickly.

"Did you tell anybody? Morgana?"

"Of course not. I don't want to tell somebody something, just to hear them say it's a stupid idea. Because I know it's not." Arthur looked back at Gwen again. She smiled and squeezed the hand that was touching hers. "I love you so much," Arthur whispered.

"I love you too," Gwen said, her heart swelling up with emotion. Her forehead fell forward and rested on Arthur's back. She minimized the distance between herself and Arthur, craving the feel of him.

Arthur suddenly stopped his horse and turned around to face Gwen.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Why are we stop-" She was silenced by Arthur's lips. Gwen was surprised at first, but she quickly regained her senses. But as soon as the kiss had started, it was over. It seemed as if the second Gwen had realized what was happening, Arthur was facing forward again, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Arthur," Gwen said softly. One of her hands moved to cover his heart, and she kissed the back of his neck lightly. She could feel his heartbeat pick up speed and she smiled.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear. He placed his hand over hers and brought it to his mouth. He kissed her palm gently and held her hand against his face. He turned around for a moment to look at her with love in his eyes.

"Queen Guinevere," he said. "One day, you will be Queen Guinevere." Those seven words warmed Gwen's heart more than ever before. Queen Guinevere. She liked the sound of that.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Sorry it has been so long since I updated this story. I've been busy writing other stuff and studying for finals (ugh). But I promise there will be another chapter soon. If not today, it will be tomorrow. I'm on a roll with this. Thanks for sticking with the story so far!  
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><p>Arthur and Gwen spent the night close to the walls of Camelot. Arthur assumed that the search party was far away by now and wouldn't disturb them. Arthur was on his back and Gwen was laying on her stomach, her arm across his chest. She woke up first the next morning and kissed Arthur gently. She watched his sleepy face change into a smile.<p>

"I wouldn't mind you waking me like that every day," Arthur said slowly, still half asleep. Gwen smiled back at Arthur and kissed him again. That time, he kissed back and ran the tip of his tongue over her lip. Gwen eventually broke the kiss and nestled her head in the little space between Arthur's shoulder and his head. His scent filled her nose and she was overwhelmed with happiness. Arthur was hers for the rest of time.

Arthur leaned his head down and kissed Gwen's hair, releasing a blissful sigh from her mouth. She looked up at Arthur lovingly and touched his face.

"We have to go back into Camelot soon, before anyone finds us," Arthur said into Gwen's hair. She nodded but didn't u move, unwilling to let go of Arthur. Finally the two got up and mounted their horses. "Best not to show up on the same horse," Arthur said. "He might have you executed before we even get the chance to explain." Gwen nodded and got on the second horse. They rode through the gates of Camelot together. Messengers ran around screaming "The prince has arrived!" Arthur and Gwen got off their horses and walked into the castle together. They went straight for the main hall, where they were sure they would find Uther.

Arthur opened the doors and walked quickly towards Uther, Guinevere behind him. "Arthur," Uther said fondly. He walked up to his son to embrace him, but he stopped abruptly when he saw Arthur's determined stare. "What is wrong, my son?" he asked. Arthur took a deep breath and spoke.

"After I was captured by the evil sorcerer, I met a girl in the woods." Arthur stopped for a moment. "I have proposed to her, father. And she has said yes."

Uther laughed loudly. "That is great, my son," he said. "And which noble family is she from?"

Not wanting to answer that question directly, Arthur asked, "Do you wish to see her?"

"I would love to," said Uther. Just then, Gwen moved out from behind Arthur. Uther didn't get the point Arthur was trying to make. "Servant, we have no need for you here. You may leave." But Gwen didnt move. "I said, you may leave," Uther repeated, angered at the servant.

"Father," said Arthur quietly, "please do not speak to my future wife like that."

To arthur's surprise, Uther laughed again, a loud and scornful laugh. "You must be joking, Arthur," he said. "Tell me you are joking." Arthur didnt move. "HER?" Uther screamed, making Gwen jump. "YOU PROPOSED TO HER?" Arthur stepped in front of Gwen protectively and reached behind him to reassure Gwen. She rested her forehead on his back and a few tears dropped from her eyes.

"I love her," said Arthur.

"I don't care who you _think _you love! You are a young and foolish boy looking for any woman to bed with you. I was your age once. Servants are simply for pleasure, not _marriage_!"

"Guinevere isn't like that. I know how I feel. She isn't just any woman. She isn't just for pleasure."

"I don't care," Uther said slowly and menacingly. "Guards! Take the girl to the dungeons. Tomorrow morning, release her. Then I expect her to be gone from Camelot by nightfall. To return is on pain of death."

"No!" Arthur yelled. "You can't banish the future Queen of Camelot!"

"This girl is no queen, Arthur. You must realize that. She is a _servant_, nothing more."

"She is _so much _more to me," Arthur said to his father, practically spitting in his face. He turned around face Gwen and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her as if it would keep the guards from taking her away. Uther groaned and called for the guards again, and they yanked the two apart.

"Guinevere!" he yelled to her, struggling against the guards that were restraining him.

"Arthur," she said back, unable to speak above a whisper. Arthur could see the fear clearly defined in her eyes, which were now overflowing with water. He watched in agony as the guards dragged his one true love out the doors and away from him forever. He felt a piece of his heart leave with Gwen, and he stopped struggling and just stood there, all anger gone and replaced with emptiness.

"I will never forgive you," Arthur told his father. "Never."


	10. Chapter 10

"I dont know what to do, Merlin," Arthur said to his servant. "What should I do?" Merlin thought for a moment. He knew that what he said would likely be a big influence on Arthur's actions. He also knew that without Gwen, there was little to no hope of Arthur ever becoming the great king he was supposed to be.

"You and Gwen belong together, sire," Merlin said slowly. "I know you know that, too. Something inside you tells you that you have to be with her." Arthur nodded.

"I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved Gwen. When I'm with her, I feel complete. Before I realized that I loved her, I didn't think I needed anyone. I thought I was fine the way I was. But then Gwen showed up and showed me that I wasn't. She made me realize that my heart wasn't completely full, and then she filled it. Now, when I'm not with her, I feel that emptiness more than any other emotion. I need her. I need to be next to her for the rest of my life. I feel so empty and alone without her. Please, Merlin. Please help me find a way to keep her here." Merlin was surprised at Arthur's declaration of his feelings. It wasn't like him to put himself in such a vulnerable place. He thought about how he could help Arthur.

"I promise I will try my best to protect her. You have my word."

"Thank you, Merlin. You are a true friend." Merlin acknowledged the compliment and left Arthur's chambers. What he didn't notice as he walked out the door was a stunned and silent Uther Pendragon, contemplating the words he had just heard his son say about the girl he had just banished.

* * *

><p>"DRAGORN! UNC IC ÁBENE HÉRCYME!<strong>*<strong>" Merlin waited for Kilgharrah to appear in the sky. After a moment, the dragon landed in the clearing.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, young warlock?" he asked Merlin. "Something has gone wrong, I'll wager. You always seem to call on me when you need help. And yet so many times you have not listened to my words."

"It's Arthur," said Merlin.

"It always is," the dragon said tiredly. "What has the boy gotten himself into this time?"

"Uther knows how he feels about Guinevere. He has banished her from the kingdom."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need to know how to keep Gwen in Camelot. If she leaves, Arthur will end up marrying someone else. But I know it's Arthur's destiny to marry Gwen. Without her, he will never be able to unite Albion or be the king we both know he should be."

"I don't quite know how to help you with this. Uther is a stubborn man. He will not change his mind easily. You must give him something he will not be able to argue against."

"Like what?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Oh, I have the feeling something will show itself to you soon enough, young warlock." With those words, Kilgharrah flapped his massive wings and flew off, leaving Merlin lost as ever on the ground below.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Merlin went to the dungeons with a platter of food and a note. "Food for the prisoner," he explained to the guards, and they let him through. He opened the dungeon doors and set the tray down. He slipped Gwen the note, and she looked at him and smiled quickly. Merlin didn't know what the note said, but Arthur had told him to deliver it as soon as possible.<p>

"Tell Arthur I love him and will always love him, no matter what," Gwen said quietly to Merlin. He nodded and left Gwen alone.

As soon as Merlin returned to Arthur's chambers, he repeated Gwen's message. Merlin could have sworn he saw water in his friend's eyes, but he didn't push him. He knew how it felt to lose a loved one; he had watched both his father and Freya die. Merlin put a hand on Arthur's shoulder for a moment then left.

About an hour later, he returned to the dungeons to collect the tray back from Gwen. He saw her sitting in the corner with her hands on her stomach, looking sick.

"Are you feeling alright?" Merlin asked.

"My stomach. Perhaps the food was just a little off. It's no big deal." Merlin turned to collect the tray and was about to leave when he heard Gwen throw up. He rushed to her side.

"What's wrong?" Gwen groaned.

"_Definitely _do not feel good," she said.

"I'll get Gaius to come down here and make sure you're not sick," Merlin said while his mind raced. If he could get Gaius to say she was sick, maybe he could convince Uther to let her stay...

Merlin raced back up the stairs and dashed to his home.

"Gaius!" he yelled. "Come with me!" He nearly picked the old man up and dragged him along.

"You need to look at Gwen," Merlin explained as they walked towards the dungeons, "and say she's gravely ill and will probably die if she doesn't stay here for treatment. Otherwise she will be banished and she will never marry Arthur."

"Merlin! Have you lost your mind?" Gaius asked.

"Quite possibly I have," Merlin said. Gaius seemed to accept that answer and he continued on following Merlin.

They got to Guinevere's cell and Gaius went in to examine her.

"Is it just stomach pain?" he asked Gwen.

"I don't think so. I've felt very tired the past day, and I've had this terrible headache that won't go away."

"I see," said Gaius. He turned to Merlin. "Would pregnancy be considered a grave illness?" he whispered.

"What?" Merlin whispered back. "You think she's..." he trailed off.

"She shows many symptoms of it. But I don't know how she could be; I don't think she has..._committed the act _necessary to have a child." Merlin was confused by Gaius's statement until he realized that he was the only one other than Arthur and Gwen who knew that they had run away together.

"I don't know. It's possible." He knelt down next to Gwen and took her hand in his. "Gwen, I know this is going to sound very strange for me to ask, but when you and Arthur ran away, did you and he..." he trailed off, leaving Gwen to decipher the rest of his sentence.

"Are you asking if I took Arthur to bed?" she asked Merlin, looking at him strangely.

"Well... yes. Please answer truthfully."

"Merlin, I ran away with a man who I will freely admit I love. We stayed together for two nights, alone, with nothing to do. I'm not going to answer your question because I think you can figure it out yourself." Merlin briefly smiled and ran back to Gaius.

"It's a possibility," Merlin said slowly.

"Who?" Gaius asked Merlin, confusion clear on his face.

"Arthur." That did nothing to help Gaius's bewilderment. "How?" he asked.

"Oh, Gaius. You're a physician. I think you know how." Merlin raced back up the stairs with Gaius right behind him. He was at Arthur's chamber door as soon as possible.

"Arthur!" he said, rapping on the door. "It's me!"

"Come," Arthur said. Merlin barged in.

"Sire, I have great news! Uther cannot banish Gwen!"

"And why do you say that?" Arthur had already run through every possible scenario in his mind, and none of them ended with Gwen staying in Camelot. He w asn't hopeful about whatever Merlin was about to say.

"He wouldn't banish his grandchild," Merlin said with a slight smile. Arthur's mouth opened and his eyes widened.

"Did you just say what I think you just said?" he asked his servant.

"Gwen," Merlin confirmed, "is carrying your child."

* * *

><p><strong>*I attempted to translate "Dragon! I summon you here!" to Old English. I'm fairly certain it's not right. But at least I tried.<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Arthur barged into the hallway where he was sure he could find his father. Gaius and Merlin were following close behind him, ready to help Arthur if need be.

"Father," Arthur said loudly across the room.

"I assume this is about the servant," Uther said, sounding bored.

"Yes," said Arthur, "it is about _Guinevere_." He put special emphasis on her name to show that Gwen was more than a servant to him.

"What about her?"

"You cannot banish her."

"Why? Because you 'love her'? We've already been through his, Arthur. That doesn't change anything."

"Let me ask you this, father: do you or do you not want me to have an heir?" Arthur asked.

"Don't be silly Arthur. Of course I do. But not with a servant."

"Well, it's a bit late for that."

"What do you mean?" Uther asked, hoping Arthur wasn't about to say what he thought he was about to say. He took a sip out of the goblet in front of him.

"Guinevere is carrying my child." At those words, Uther sprayed the liquid all over the table. He looked at his son in disbelief.

"You? Her? I refuse to accept it," he said. "Clean this up," he commanded a nearby servant.

"Accept it, father. It is true."

"It cannot be yours. You can't have created this baby without doing certain actions. I will not believe that you have done these actions with a servant."

"Believe it, father," Arthur said.

"You… _fertilized _her? This is a disgrace on Camelot!"

"It would be an even bigger disgrace to banish my heir. Banish Gwen, and that's exactly what you're doing. Besides, Gwen will need medical care if she wants to birth a healthy child."

"It's true, my lord," Gaius butted in. "Gwen has shown all the symptoms of pregnancy very early on. This indicates a possible future problem with the baby. If Arthur's child is to be healthy, Gwen will need to have extensive care given to her these next nine months."

Uther's head went into his hands. He remembered what he had overheard Arthur saying about how much he loved the girl. He knew that Arthur was a very physical man. He should have known what Arthur's engagement entailed. He should have suspected something like this would happen. He didn't want to banish Arthur's child and bring shame upon Camelot.

Then again, he could pretend like the child wasn't Arthur's, and call Arthur's next child the heir. But he knew he couldn't. It was too similar to what he had done with Arthur and Morgana: he'd had an illegitimate daughter and then called Arthur his only child. He couldn't make his son do that to his children, too.

"Very well," Uther said slowly. "The servant will stay, only until she has given birth. Then she will leave Camelot and never return." Though Uther spoke those words, he knew that would never happen. Arthur would marry the servant while she was pregnant, then guilt Uther into letting the princess stay. He knew that chain of events was imminent, but he would push against it as long as he could.

Arthur smiled and turned to leave, Gaius and Merlin following him.

Arthur and Merlin barged into the dungeons.

"The prisoner is to be released, King's orders," Arthur said as he walked to Gwen's cell and started unlocking the door. Guinevere stood up and walked over to Arthur.

"What is going on?" she asked her fiancé.

"I talked to my father. He agreed to let you stay in Camelot," Arthur explained as he opened the door for Gwen. He leaned down to kiss her, but she turned away.

"You may not want to do that. I threw up earlier today." Arthur settled for kissing her cheek instead.

"On what grounds am I staying?" Gwen asked. Arthur turned to Merlin.

"Does she know?" he asked his servant. Merlin shook his head. Arthur took a deep breath.

"Remember that first night, right after the picnic?" Gwen smiled.

"How could I forget, my love?" Gwen cupped Arthur's face in her hand, momentarily forgetting that Merlin and the guards were all watching her.

"It seems I… Gaius suspects that you are…" Arthur didn't know how to say it. "Guinevere, our child is growing inside you."

Gwen gasped as one hand flew to her mouth and the other to her stomach. "Our child?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, if it's mine." Arthur said slowly.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur," Gwen said quickly. "Of course it's yours. Don't be ridiculous."

"How could I know?"

"Because you know I love you, and no one else." Gwen suddenly beamed at Arthur. "Our child," she said again. "Our child. He will be beautiful."

"He will have your hair," Arthur said as he stroked Gwen's hair.

"He will have your eyes." Gwen felt the sudden urge to cry. She rested her forehead on Arthur's chest and hugged him. Arthur put his arms around Gwen and looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked her gently. But it was Merlin who answered.

"It's the baby. I've heard that pregnancy causes frequent mood changes in women. We must get her to Gaius," he added to Arthur, who nodded. He looked at his crying love and swiftly picked her up. The surprise caused her to momentarily stop crying and stare at Arthur.

She was hit with a bolt of desire for him. She felt his strong muscular arms carrying her and looked at his perfect face. She wanted him more than anything in that moment. Gwen attempted to reach up and kiss him, but he pulled his face away before she had the chance.

"We have no time. We need to make sure you and the baby are healthy," Arthur said. _The baby._ Gwen was taken over by a warm and fuzzy feeling. Her baby. Her beautiful baby, who would someday sit on the throne Arthur sat on now. She imagined all the possible traits her child might have. She pictured a miniature Arthur, but with curly blonde hair instead of straight. She thought of a blue-eyed, dark-skinned baby with light brown hair. Or perhaps a child with light skin and brown eyes. Her heart swelled at just the thought.

Before she knew it, she was laying down on a bed in Gaius's house. She sat up when Merlin handed her a small cup of water to wash her mouth out with. She laid back down and waited as Gaius checked her heartbeat, her breathing, her stomach.

After a while, Gaius told Arthur that Gwen looked fine. "But make sure you bring her to me if she starts showing any strange symptoms besides what she has now." Arthur thanked the physician and gave Gwen another cup of water. She drank it quickly and looked up to Arthur again. He helped her onto her feet. Once she was standing, he bent down and kissed her gently. She kissed back, summoning all the passion she had earlier. She grabbed a lock of his hair and pulled him closer to her. Gaius awkwardly cleared his throat, and the embarrassed couple broke apart. Arthur thanked Gaius once more and the two headed back for the castle.

Once they were back in Arthur's chambers, he asked her, "Now that you're pregnant, can you still…?" He let the question trail off, assuming Gwen knew what he was asking.

She looked at him. "Thankfully, yes." He smiled and led her to his bed.


End file.
